In this 2010 file photo, a condemned home at 2216 Peck St. in Muskegon Heights is shown.Kendra Stanley-Mills/The Muskegon Chronicle

LANSING, MI – When the state won approval earlier this month to use $100 million in federal funds for blight-reduction efforts, Muskegon County wasn’t among the five areas targeted to receive the funds.

The money will go to demolish unused homes in Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Pontiac and Saginaw.

But it would have been welcome in Muskegon County, too, especially in municipalities like Muskegon Heights, where 840 homes, or 17.5 of the residential homes, were vacant in 2010.

“Every year we have one or two vacant properties that end up being set intentionally on fire whether it be by adults or children,” said Chris Dean, Muskegon Heights Fire Chief and director of building inspections for the City of Muskegon Heights. “They create a significant fire hazard and a danger to the surrounding buildings.”

The state recently received approval to use federal Hardest Hit Fund money aimed at mortgage relief for blight reduction. Officials tried to explain how the money was allocated.

“The pilot cities were selected considering a number of factors including vacancy, volume of Hardest Hit applications received, density and the like,” said Michigan State Housing Development Authority blight expert Michele Wildman. “We don't yet have final figures for how the funds will be split. We will use an approach that considers not only data on foreclosure and vacancy - but also looks at local community plans to assess the inventory of properties that qualify.”

“MSHDA will continue to seek funding from a variety of sources to address statewide demolition needs,” Wildman said when asked about the possibility of future funds. “We are hopeful that if this pilot is successful it will provide the outcome information necessary to bring additional funds to the State.”

As a whole, 10.8 percent of Muskegon County homes were vacant in the 2010 Census. That compares to 12 percent in Genesee County (Flint) and 14.5 percent in Wayne County (Detroit), and just 8 percent in Kent County (Grand Rapids),

Dean asked U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, if there were other programs for supporting smaller cities like Muskegon.

“Cities have the potential through Michigan's land bank law and Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act to finance demolition using a creative cross-financing tool that allows for more valuable properties to support demolition costs for properties that the market cannot absorb,” Kildee said.